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Del Mar Derby
Trainer John Sadler Saddles Twirling Candy
John Sadler was the leading trainer at Del Mar the past two seasons, and though he is a longshot to catch Doug O’Neill before the meet ends next Wednesday, Sadler has a chance to go out on a very high note with big chances in important stakes this weekend, most notably the unbeaten Twirling Candy in the Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Derby on Sunday.
Twirling Candy has won all three of his starts, and successfully handled switching to turf and stretching out around two turns with a powerful victory in the Oceanside Stakes on opening day July 21. Since then, Twirling Candy has turned in a series of impressive workouts, and looms a short-priced favorite against only a handful of rivals in the 1 1/8-mile grass race.
In addition to Twirling Candy, the Del Mar Derby field is expected to include Alphie’s Bet (Mike Smith the rider), Fantastic Pick (Corey Nakatani), Kid Edward (David Flores), Royal F.J. (Rafael Bejarano), and Summer Movie (Victor Espinoza).
If Twirling Candy wins, he will give Sadler and owner Jenny Craig a sweep of the meet’s turf stakes races for 3-year-olds. Sidney’s Candy won the La Jolla Handicap. Sidney’s Candy is awaiting the Oak Tree Mile or the Oak Tree Derby, Sadler said.
Sadler on Saturday will saddle the impressive maiden winner Tell a Kelly in the Grade 1, $250,000 Darley Debutante, which is shaping up as an outstanding seven-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies. Alonzo Quinonez has the mount on Tell a Kelly, who closed powerfully to win her second start.
Sadler also will have the heavy favorite, Switch, in the $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going one mile on Sunday. Others expected for that race include Ellafitz, Fashion Trend, Hard Way Ten, La Nez, Softly Singing, and Washington Bridge.
Darley Debutante Stakes
Two Year-Old Fillies Revving It Up
As we shift into September, many are looking forward towards the Breeders Cup, but astute handicappers are focusing on two year-olds and this weekend we have a doozy…the Debutante Stakes at Del Mar.
A full field of 12 two-year-old fillies line up for the Grade 1- $250,000 Debutante, and leading the way are the top two finishers from last month’s Sorrento Stakes. They are Wickedly Perfect and A Z Warrior, who was beat by by one length in the 6½-furlong Sorrento.
Trainer Doug O’Neill enters Wickedly Perfect in the seven-furlong Debutante with victories in each of her two career starts. The gray filly won her career debut in a five-furlong maiden special weight race at Hollywood Park by 4¾ lengths. Rafael Bejarano retains the mount.
While Wickedly Perfect capitalized on a stalking trip to win the Sorrento, A Z Warrior moved gradually up through the field from sixth and drove with determination in the lane for second. The dark bay filly is conditioned by Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and opened her career with a 1½-length victory in a 5½-furlong maiden special weight race at Hollywood.
Others in the race who might have something to say are:
Avid, Fresh off an eye-catching win in her bow at Del Mar last month. Avid returned from her debut to post three solid published workouts, including a bullet 1:25 3/5 for seven furlongs. Avid drew post 7 for her first stakes try and will have Del Mar’s leading jockey Joel Rosario.
Izshelegal has not won a race but enters off a second-place finish in the Landaluce Stakes at Hollywood Park and a third-place finish in the Sorrento in her first two starts. She was not nominated to the Debutante, but trainer Terry Knight and her owners supplemented her into the race for $10,000.
She’ll Heir finished fourth in the Sorrento but enters the Debutante with a stakes victory to her credit following a one-length victory in the 5½-furlong Cinderella Stakes at Hollywood. Trained by Vladimir Cerin, the filly then recorded back-to-back fourth-place finishes in the Landaluce Stakes and the Sorrento. She drew the rail and will be ridden for the first time by Brice Blanc.
Others coming into the race from victories are Sugarinthemorning, a California-bred daughter of Candy Ride trained by Hall of Famer Ron McAnally; Ike and Dawn Thrash’s Tell a Kelly, trained by John Sadler, a maiden winner at Del Mar Aug. 15; and $10,000 supplemental hope Rigoletta, a Del Mar maiden winner Aug. 8 in her second start for trainer Dan Hendricks.
Righteous Renee, second to Avid the last time, Big Tiz and Distant Glow are all maidens.
Is It Fair?
Reigning HOY Rachel Alexandra
This past weekend, Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra came up short in the Grade 1 – $300,000 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. She lost late by longshot Persistently, in her first attempt at 1 ¼ miles, while being pressed hard by Life At Ten, through the first six furlongs of the race, which may have made the difference in her first start at the classic distance..
For the third time in five starts this season, the four-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly finished second. She opened the year with a pair of runner-up finishes before winning her next two leading into the Personal Ensign, in which she was the 2-to-5 favorite in a field of five that included Grade 1 winner Life At Ten, a winner of six consecutive starts for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Trained by Racing Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, who conditioned Personal Ensign to 13 wins in as many starts from 1986 through ’88, Persistently entered the race off a 1 1/8-mile allowance victory on July 30th. Her last Grade 1 start came in the 2008 Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, in which she finished fifth.
So the question is..was Rachel Alexandra was a poor choice for HOY, many believing that Zenyatta should have won the award last, and even more so that Rachel Alexandra is no match for Zenyatta and ducked racing against her.
Is that fair?
Zenyatta is a very special race horse no doubt, but when a horse like Rachel comes in second in a Grade 1 event at a distance she had never raced before, why does the industry get down on her?
We all wish our horses would win…but that’s why they race ‘em. Someone has got to lose…are we putting Rachel on a pedestal, only to curse her and her connections for her performance? Rachel is what this industry needs, a horse that is we can root for, even if she doesn’t win them all…she’s like baseball’s Chicago Cubs, delivered a great season once but now we cringe when she doesn’t win…it isn’t fair.
Thoroughbred Racing Action
Weekend Stakes Action
Labor Day Monday marks the close of summer and with it starts the racing for two-year olds in earnest. Watch these and more all on BetAmerica.com.
Friday – September 3
• Del Mar: El Cajon Stakes, $100,000, 3yo, 8f.
Saturday – September 4
• Arlington Park: Washington Park Breeders’ Cup H (gr. III), $100,000, 3&up, 9.5f.
• Calder Race Course: Ms. Brookski Stakes, $50,000, 3&up, f/m, 7.5f (turf).
• Del Mar: Darley Debutante Stakes – G1, $250,000, 2yo f, 7f.
• Del Mar: Windy Sands Handicap, $75,000, 3&up, 8f.
• Evangeline Downs: Opelousas Stakes, $50,000, 2yo f, 6f.
• Monmouth Park: Sapling Stakes – G3, $150,000, 2yo, 6f.
• Monmouth Park: Twin Lights Stakes, $100,000, 3yo f, 9f (turf).
• Pinnacle Race Course: Mackinac Stakes, $50,000, 3yo, c/g, Michigan-bred, 8.5f.
• River Downs: Coca-Cola Bassinet Stakes, $100,000, 2yo f, 6f.
• Ruidoso Downs: Ruidoso Derby, $40,000, 3yo, 8.5f.
• Suffolk Downs: African Prince Stakes, $50,000, 3yo, Massachusetts-bred, 6f.
• Thistledown: Governor’s Buckeye Cup, $50,000, 3&up, Ohio-bred, 10f.
Sunday – September 5
• Del Mar: Del Mar Derby – G2, $300,000, 3yo, 9f (turf).
• Del Mar: Torrey Pines Stakes, $100,000, 3yo f, 8f.
• Del Mar: Adoration Stakes, $75,000, 3&up, f/m, 8f.
• Monmouth Park: Red Bank Stakes – G3, $200,000, 3&up, 8f (turf).
• Monmouth Park: Icecapade Stakes, $100,000, 3&up, 6f.
Monday – September 6
• Arlington Park: Pucker Up Stakes – G3, $100,000, 3yo f, 9f (turf).
• Calder Race Course: Hooting Star Stakes, $50,000, 3&up, 5f (turf).
• Del Mar: Palomar Handicap – G2, $150,000, 3&up, f/m, 8.5f (turf).
• Del Mar: I’m Smokin Stakes, $100,000, 2yo, California-bred, 6f.
• Ellis Park: Cliff Guilliams Handicap, $50,000, 3&up, 8.5f (turf).
• Evangeline Downs: Lafayette Stakes, $50,000, 2yo, 6f.
• Fort Erie: Puss N Boots Cup, $25,000, 3&up, c/g, 8.5f (turf).
• Golden Gate Fields: Rosie the Riveter, $50,000, 2yo f, 8.5f.
• Hastings Racecourse: Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap, $50,000, 3yo f, 8.5f.
• Hastings Racecourse: PNE President’s Speed, $50,000, 3&up, 6f.
• Hastings Racecourse: Richmond Derby Trial Handicap, $50,000, 3yo, 8.5f.
• Louisiana Downs: A.L. “Red” Erwin Graduate, $150,000, 3yo, Louisiana-bred, 8f (turf).
• Louisiana Downs: Elge Rasberry Graduate, $150,000, 3yo f, Louisiana-bred, 8f (turf).
• Louisiana Downs: Lady Razorback Futurity, $50,000, 2yo f, Arkansas-bred, 6f.
• Louisiana Downs: Razorback Futurity, $50,000, 2yo, c/g, Arkansas-bred, 6f.
• Monmouth Park: Gilded Time Stakes, $100,000, 3yo, 5.5f (turf).
• Monmouth Park: Sorority Stakes, $100,000, 2yo f, 6f.
• Mountaineer: Labor Day Stakes, $75,000, 3&up, 8.32f (turf).
• Mountaineer: Summer Finale Stakes, $75,000, 3&up, f/m, 8.32f (turf).
• Northlands Park: Sun Sprint Stakes, $50,000, 3&up, 6.5f.
• Philadelphia Park: Smarty Jones Stakes, $300,000, 3yo, 8.32f.
• Philadelphia Park: Turf Monster Handicap, $250,000, 3&up, 5f (turf).
• Remington Park: Edward J. DeBartolo Memorial B.C., $100,000, 3&up, 9f (turf).
• Remington Park: Ricks Memorial Stakes, $50,000, 3&up, f/m, 8f (turf).
• River Downs: Budweiser Select Cradle Stakes, $200,000, 2yo, 8.5f (turf).
• Ruidoso Downs: Ruidoso Downs Championship, $50,000, 3&up, 8.5f.
• Yavapai Downs: Yavapai Downs Futurity, $20,000, 2yo, 6f.
Harness Stakes Action
This Weekend’s Stakes Action
Watch and Wager on these fantastic Harness stakes races this week:
Friday – September 3
• Flamboro: Bud Light, $40,000, 3yo, Filly Pace
• Freehold: NJSS, $100,000, 2yo, C&G Trot
• Freehold: Charles Smith, $10,000, 3yo, C&G Trot
• Freehold: NJSS GA, $10,000, 3yo,Filly Trot
• Indiana Downs: Indiana SS, $40,000, 2yo, C&G Trot
• Indiana Downs: Indiana SS, $40,000, 2yo, Filly Trot
• Tioga Downs: NYSS, $200,000, 3yo, Filly Trot
• Yonkers: NYSS, $200,000, 3yo, C&G Trot
Saturday – September 4
• Freehold: Lou Babic, $100,000, 2yo, Open Pace
• Freehold: Lou Babic, $60,000, 2yo, Filly Pace
• Freehold: NJSS GA, $10,000, 3yo, C&G Pace
• Freehold: NJSS GA, $10,000, 2yo,C&G Pace
• Indiana Downs: Indiana SS, $40,000, 3yo, C&G Pace
• Indiana Downs: Indiana SS, $20,000, Aged H&G Pace
• Indiana Downs: Indiana SS, $20,000, Aged Mare Trot
• Meadows: PASS Championship, $150,000, 3yo,C&G Pace
• Meadows: PASS Championship, $150,000, 3yo, C&G Trot
• Meadows: PASS Championship, $150,000, 3yo, Filly Pace
• Meadows: PASS Championship, $150,000, 3yo, Filly Trot
• Northfield Park: Scarlet & Grey, $60,000, 4yo and up, H&G Pace
• Northfield Park: Scarlet & Grey, $55,000, 4yo and up, H&G Trot
• Northfield Park: Scarlet & Grey, $50,000, 4yo and up, Mare Pace
• Northfield Park: Scarlet & Grey, $45,000, 4yo and up, Mare Trot
• Northfield Park: Ohio SS, $15,000, 3yo, C&G Pace
• Northfield Park: Ohio SS, $15,000, 3yo, C&G Trot
• Scarborough: Maine SS, $12,500, 3yo, Filly Pace
• Tioga Downs: NYSS LC, $12,500, 2yo, Filly Trot
• Tioga Downs: NYSS, $200,000, 2yo, C&G Pace
Sunday – September 4
• Chester: PASS Championship, $150,000, 2yo, C&G Pace
• Chester: PASS Championship, $150,000, 2yo, C&G Trot
• Chester: PASS Championship, $150,000, 2yo, Filly Pace
• Chester: PASS Championship, $150,000, 2yo, Filly Trot
• Red Mile: KYSS, $25,000, 3yo, C&G Pace
• Red Mile: KYSS, $25,000, 3yo, C&G Trot
• Red Mile: KYSS, $25,000, 3yo, Filly Pace
• Red Mile: KYSS, $25,000, 3yo Filly Trot
• Tioga Downs: NYSS LC, $12,500, 2yo, C&G Trot
Monday – September 5
• Freehold: Cane Pace, $300,000, 3yo, Open Pace
• Freehold: Shady Daisy, $145,000, 3yo, Filly Pace
• Freehold: NJSS GA, $10,000, 3yo, Filly Pace
• Freehold: NJSS GA, $10,000, 2yo, Filly Pace
• Scioto Downs: Ohio SS, $15,000, 3yo, Filly Trot
• Scioto Downs: Ohio SS, $15,000, 3yo, Filly Pace
• Vernon Downs: NYSS LC, $200,000, 3yo, Filly Pace
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